Splitting-machine.



1. K. VAUGHN.

SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILE'D JAN10|1917` v i 1,250,054 Emma De.11,191z1 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

,1. K.- VAUGHN.

SPLITTING MACHINE. l v 1^ APPLICATION FILED IAN-10 I917.

1,250,054. Patented De.11,191z.v

2' 4SHEETS-sluier 2'.

26 -In'F'rn-I-njnjnfmII-nim( rig. 2.

JOHN VAUGHN, OF SANFORD, FLORIDA.

SPLITTINGr-MACHINE.

Application led January 10, 1917.

T all whom z't may concern:

Be known that I, JOHN K. VAUGHN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sanford, .in'the'county of Seminole and State of Florida, have invented an Improvement in Splitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

VMy invention is an improvement in splitting machines, for cutting palmetto, palm and` like, leaves into strips, to prepare for use in making brooms.

In `the drawings:

kFigure 1 is a front view of the improved machine.

Fig. 2 is va top plan view.

FigS is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5 is a detail side view of the hinge connection.

Fig. 6 is a side View of a modified coni struction.

In the present embodiment of the invention a table is provided, comprising a top 1 and suitable supporting legs 2, which are braced against the table byy inclined braces shown at 3. A portion of the front of the top is cut away, as shown, to facilitate access of the operator to the parts to be later described and a hinge plate 4 is connected with the top of the table, the said plate being supported by a block 5, in order to space -the plate above the top of the table. A Aneedle bar 6 is hinged to the plate 4, by

means of a bolt and nut 7, and this bar, as shown, consists of two similar' sections, the bar as a whole being curved at its outer end, so that the free end of the bar extends to the front edgeiof the table beyond the cut away portion, as shown, the said eut away portion being at the block 5.

A plate spring 8 is secured to the plate 4 i at one end, and the iree end of the spring overlies the inner end of. the bar,'as shown Specication of Letters Patent.

Patenten nec. 11, 1er?.

Serin N. 141,591.

`dles are in the recesses or sockets 11, is

adapted to engage a stop 12 which is connected to one of the arms 13 of a U-shaped bracket, whose body 14 is secured to the table top with'the arms depending. The stop 1:2 is bolted to one of the arms, and a latch bar 15 is bolted to the other arm. This end of the bar G when the said bar is in engagement with the stop to hold the bar and the needles in operative position. This latch is released to permit the bars 6 to move upward under the influence of the spring 8,

' by means of a treadle 17.

This treadle is pivoted to one of the legs of the table as indicated at 18, and is connected tothe latch by a link 16. When the free end of the treadle is swung downward the latch is swung outward releasing the bar which immediately assumes the dotted line position of Fig. 1. The treadle is returned to original position and normally held in such position by a coil spring 19, which is connected at one end to the table top and at the other to a link 20, the lower end of the link being connected to the treadle.

The links 16 and 2O are of wire or the like, and` the link 16 passes outwardly through an opening in the vertical portion of an angle bracket secured to the table top, and this vertical portion has at its upper end .bar 15 is adapted to engage over the free a set screw 22 forming a stop, for limiting g the outward movement of the latch.

The

said screw is threaded through the bracket and is engaged by lock nuts 23 on the outer face of the vertical portion of the bracket.

In operation, with the parts in the dotted line posit-ion of Fig. 1, a leaf is placed upon the table. The bar'is now depressed manually, and the needles are driven through the leat' into the sockets on the table. It will be noticed that the upper end of the latch is beveled, as shown at 24, so that as the bar descends the latch will be pushed aside and will engage over the end of the bar to hold the same down on the table. To release the bar it is only necessary to press downward on the free end of the treadle and the latch will be drawn out of engagement with the bar and the spring 8 will swing the bar upward. The stripped leaf is removed and another inserted.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modified construction, wherein the table top 25 is provided with the needles 26, the said needlesbeing inserted in the top in any suitable or desirable manner. These needles may be arranged in a curve corresponding to that of the needles 9. A bar 27 is'mounted in uprights 28 on the table for movement toward and fromV the needles, and this bar has sockets in its under'face for receiving the points of the needles., Several lea-ves may bestripped at once.

It will be understood that the bar 27 in Fig. 6 may he hinged at one end if desired,

and that the bar 6 in Fig. 1 may move vertically. The needles in' Fig. 6 may be in the har 27 instead of in the table, and in Fig. 1 the needles may be in the table instead of in the bar. A hinge may he arranged at of thebar upward to hold the needles out of Contact with the table, latch mechanism for holding the har with the needles in the sockets, and means for limiting the downward nasdoee 2. A splitting machine comprising a table,

a bar hinged at one end to the table, said bar carrying spaced needles, and being curvedA to extend to the front of the table at its free end, latch mechanism for holding the har with the needles in contact with the table, a spring for lifting the bar, and means for releasing the latch.

3. A splitting machine comprising a table, a bar hinged. at one end to the table, said har carrying spaced needles, and being curved to eXtend to the front of the table at its free end, latch mechanisml for holding the har with the needles in contact with the table, and means for releasing the latch.

4. A. splitting machine comprising a table, a bar hinged at one end to the table and provided with spaced needles for transxing a leaf laid upon the table, releasable means for vholding the loar with the needles in -contact with the table, and a spring for lifting the har.

{hDl-1N K. VAUGHN. Witnesses:

E. A. Donenass, V. M. MCDANIEL. 

